Bore-hole clinometer



1931- D. P. CARLTON ET AL 1,833,839

BORE HOLE CLINOMETER Filed Aug. 23. 1929 (QW j/uz e azed INVENTORS 7W ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 1, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DAVE PIERCE CARLTON AND KENNETH HARTLEY, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, ASQIGNOBS TO STANDARD OIL DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, A. CORPORATION OF DELAWARE BORE-HOLE cmivomm'nn Application filed August 23, 1929. Serial No. 387,855.

The invention relates to improvements in the art of obtaining data in bore-holes and resides in an improved method of determining the amount of inclination of the borehole as well as its direction.

The main purpose of the instrument is to provide a simple and rapidmeans of determining the angle j of inclination of a borehole at one or more points. Automatic control of thedevice is so arranged that a series of observations can be made without drawing the instrument from the bore-hole. By orienting the drill stem before the observation is made at each point and combining with the angle of inclination at each point it is possible to make a complete boreshole survey.

With the scribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and set forth in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes-in the form, proportion, size and minor details of. construction within the scope of the claims may be made without departing from the s irit or sacrificing any the advantages of t e invention.

The use of liquid level indicators (meniscus clinometers) instead of any form of endulum eliminates all moving mechanica parts and all friction from the clinometer proper, thus measuring very small angles accurately, and at the same time provides effective damping which brings the liquid to rest immediately and prevents blurring of the record.

The instrument in use is fitted into a suitable water tight container of proper size to be used in bore-holes and of sufficient strength to withstand high fluid pressures as might be found in'lowering the device to 6000 or 8000 feet into bore-holes.

The container for the device is fitted for the proper connections for attaching it to drill pipe, tubing, cable or any other thing Kith which it may be lowered into the boreole.

In the accompanying drawings Figil is a perspective, partly sectional view, s owin one. arrangement of the mechanism, an

above mentioned and other ob-- jects in mind, the invention consists in the f novel construction and parts hereinafter de- Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a preferred form of the meniscus clinometer, on an enlarged scale with respect to Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, reference numeral. 1 indicates the frame ofthe' instrument. I A bail or other suitable means 1a is having means for attachment to a cable, string of tubing, or the like. 1

Mounted in the frame are a program clock 2, batteries. 3 and motor 4, connected to the batteries. Rollers 5 and 8, actuated by the motor, are provided to expose photographic fihn or paper to the light from lamp 7. The lamp as shown is mounted so asto illuminate liquid level devices BB and BB having polygonal side walls. These devices are mounted in aframe which may be of any suitable form, such as rectangular or triangular. \Ve prefer to use a'meniscus clinometer in the form -of parallel glass plates separated by a spacing ring so as to f form a flat fluid-tight chamber. D, D indicate the body of liquid in the chamber formed by the glass plates. 1 Any suitable liquid may be used in the chambers, such as mercury, oi alcohol, xylene, or the like. The level of the liquid is indicated by M, M. It may have a free surface, or may carry a float. Mats C, C are provided to frame each exposure.

It will be understood that an suitable source of illumination may be use In general an electric lamp of the type shown is most desirable, or a spark-gap or thelike may be used. 7 V

In the enlarged. view shown in Fig. 2, the character E indicates generally any suitable source of illumination and A any suitable mounting for the meniscus clinometer. If

a complete record is to be obtained at least two of the clinometers must 'be 'used, but the present invention is not limited to any particular number. 1

In the operation of the instrument it is lowered into the bore-hole to be surveyed,

the clock having been set to operate the light 7 at the desired intervals of time, for example, one or two minutes, and to expose a portion of the photographic film. The image of the liquid body in the meniscus clinometer is registered on the film. The exposure gives two simultaneous records of the meniscus in the two chambers. The program device connected with the cloth then trips an electromagnet which starts motor 4, which in turn reels a new section of photographic paper in front of the apertures in the meniscus chambers, thus making the instrument ready for the next exposure.

The train of mechanism, including the program clock, batteries, reels for photographic film, and source of illumination, form no part of the present invention and need not be further described.

It will be understood that the device is lowered to the desired depth in the well, the photographic impressions being obtained as it descends. The time interval between these impressions may be varied by adjustment of the program clock. From the data obtained it is possible to map accurately the direction of the bore-hole, a reference line having been previously established at the surface of the onal sidewalls transparent at the normal level of-liquid in the device, means for illuminating the device, and means externally of the side walls for simultaneously obtaining a photographic record of the position of the liquid level along at least two angularly disposed sidewalls.

DAVE PIERCE CARLTON.

KENNETH HARTLEY.

earth. Our device is particularly useful in connection with drilling wells for the production of petroleum, but it may be applied for any other desired purpose.

We claim:

1. The method of measuring the angle of departure from the vertical of a bore-hole at a series of points, which compriseslowering into the bore-hole a device comprising a plurality of chambers partly filled with liquid, and arranged at an angle to each other, and obtaining a photographic record of the-position of the liquid level in such chambers.

2. A recording clinometer comprising a liquid level indicating device havin polygonal side walls, means for illuminatin said device, and means for simultaneously 0 taining a photographic record of the position of the liquid level along at least two angularly disposed sidewalls.

3. A'recordin clinometer comprising two flat lass cham ers containing liquid, said cham rs being arranged at an angle to each other, a source of illumination placed within the angle formed by the chambers, and means for obtaining a photographic record of the position of the liquid in the chambers.

4. A recording clinometer which comrises the combination of at least one cham= er containing liquid and having transparent side walls,'a source of illumination, movable strips of photographic paper externally of'the chamber to receive the image of the liquid surface, and suitable mechanism for controlling the illumination.

A recording clinometer comprising a liquid level indicating device having polyg- 

